White Castle wants to tear down its restaurant at a prominent South Loop corner in favor of a new store, a plan that hatched when a busy Green Line stop opened in February next door. There's no timeline yet for the new White Castle at 2140 S. Wabash Ave., which would also sit across the street from a landmarked former White Castle building on Cermak Road, Company District Supervisor Darrin Cotton said.

I tried the jalapeno slider today with the fried egg on top of it, and it was surprisingly good and filling. I was happy to see what looked like a real fried egg crowning the delight of a slider. Definitely worth a try for those who like the regular sliders.

To be honest, I don't think I've ever eaten at White Castle, but found this cookbook in a Little Free Library and had to snatch it up to at least check it out:

White Castle CraveTime Cookbook 1997

It looks like it was from 1997 as per the expiration dates on some coupons near the back. Recipes were contest submissions from fans , includes some recipe winners from as far back as 1992. Here are a few recipes and an un-PC cartoon:

White Castle Souffle

Swedish Castle Delight

White Castle East Indian Bobotie

(despite calling it "East Indian" it appears bobotie is South African)

White Castle Dim Sum and Won Ton

Mommasons can give their family a treat by putting an oriental twist

There are several entries from people in the Chicagoland/Illinois area, perhaps you know one of them or their descendants?

There was even an entry from Doral Chenoweth, the now-retired “Grumpy Gourmet” columnist of the Columbus Dispatch (it seems like his son—or grandson—with the same name also works for the Dispatch and is the one who “discovered” the homeless man Ted Williams with the silky radio voice, in 2011). A website: http://www.grumpygourmetusa.com/home.html (warning, automatically downloads some kind of music file I think).

Years ago, a girlfriend wanted to stop at a white castle after a square dance, so we did. Seeing how they prepared them made me vow to never eat one (and my parents confirmed they never took us there either). Maybe it has changed, since nobody I've asked has reported seeing this.

A tray came out of the freezer with a rectangle of meat cut into squares with holes in them, one bottom bun over each square. The top buns were offset 1/2 burger in two directions so the first corner is 3/4 exposed. As they cook, all the grease is absorbed (through the hole) into the bottom bun.

The were fried (covered, per the steaming comment? I don't recall) then a spatula used to flip over one meat square plus bottom bun and match it with the top bun.

Keeping an open mind, when they started selling veggie burgers, I tried one. Dry and tasteless, but at least not swimming in grease. Bought another and took it home, adding lettuce and tomato and seasoning, and then quite passable. They do NOT (or did not) have fresh toppings available.

So, if a friend insists on taking you to white castle, bring fresh lettuce, tomato, pickle, real cheese and/or onion with you and buy the veggie burger.

It seems to me that White Castle is either something you like (and probably grew up eating) or don't like (because you have good sense now, and you were not indoctrinated early enough). Thinking about their food, there's no rational reason I should like it and yet, I do. But, never once have I opted for White Castle when I was in the mood for a burger. I opt for White Castle when I'm in the mood for White Castle. When I'm in the mood for a burger, White Castle never even comes to mind.

As and aside, it's a kind of analog to Arby's, which isn't something that comes to mind when thinking about roast beef. It's a thing unto itself.

=R=

Why don't you take these profiteroles and put them up your shi'-ta-holes? --Jemaine & Bret

ronnie_suburban wrote: seems to me that White Castle is either something you like (and probably grew up eating) or don't like (because you have good sense now, and you were not indoctrinated early enough).

As and aside, it's a kind of analog to Arby's, which isn't something that comes to mind when thinking about roast beef. It's a thing unto itself.

=R=

There's another variable to be considered re: Arby's. I think they got worse, much worse, over time. When I was a youth in Elmhurst, an Arby's opened on York Rd., and they had a large plexiglass case on the counter holding a big bloody roast beef, hanging from a chain (for that disturbing image of beef in bondage, you're welcome). The meat during that period tasted fresh. I liked it. Now, it tastes like dog food. I believe it changed over time, in part to keep making a profit year over year. Quality was sacrificed after they had suckered in a generation or two who may have liked it when it was better food and just got into the habit of eating there even as the food got worse. I don't think my tastes changed as much as the taste of Arby's beef changed.

When passing through St. Louis, I do my best to stop at a Lion's Choice for a roast beef sandwich. At the fixin's counter they have beef broth dispenser to fill a cup to dip your sandwich. I consider it soup and sandwich.

Lion's Choice originated in the 1960's. There are people who believe it represents today what Arby's once did long ago.

Their signs don't show up on the food options available at the next exit. If you don't deliberately seek them out, you pass an exit only to see one on the frontage road a little later.

When passing through St. Louis, I do my best to stop at a Lion's Choice for a roast beef sandwich. At the fixin's counter they have beef broth dispenser to fill a cup to dip your sandwich. I consider it soup and sandwich.

Lion's Choice originated in the 1960's. There are people who believe it represents today what Arby's once did long ago.

Their signs don't show up on the food options available at the next exit. If you don't deliberately seek them out, you pass an exit only to see one on the frontage road a little later.

ronnie_suburban wrote:It seems to me that White Castle is either something you like (and probably grew up eating) or don't like (because you have good sense now, and you were not indoctrinated early enough). Thinking about their food, there's no rational reason I should like it and yet, I do. But, never once have I opted for White Castle when I was in the mood for a burger. I opt for White Castle when I'm in the mood for White Castle. When I'm in the mood for a burger, White Castle never even comes to mind.

As and aside, it's a kind of analog to Arby's, which isn't something that comes to mind when thinking about roast beef. It's a thing unto itself.

=R=

Well said Ronnie.

When I crave a burger there so many other places I will go to, including McDonalds, and White Castle will never enter into the thought process. However, there are times, typically while running around doing stuff on the weekends, where I will drive past a White Castle and just get a craving for them. Luckily this doesn't happen often, maybe once a year or so.

As you correctly surmised, I grew up eating them, though since the closest one to our Rogers Park home was at Addison/Elston, going there was considered a "treat". It's funny that as you mention, I don't really consider them burgers per se, they are White Castle's. It's kinda similar to Jack-in-the-Box tacos, not something you would really consider a taco in comparison to "real" tacos, but when on the road and driving past a Jack-in-the-Box, it's hard to push aside the old craving for a few of them.

They are a sub-category in the wonderfully diverse world of hamburgers, and the world (or at least mine) would be a sadder place if they did not exist. Krystal also fits in this category, and nothing draws my ire more than a place advertising "sliders" which are not actually "sliders." OK, I'm exaggerating, since everyone calls any small burger or sandwich a "slider" these days, but that just ain't right! And, as said before, no, you don't have to grow up with them to love them. I've met many an off-the-boater who loves the damned things.

Seeing that the coupons for White Castle are the only thing that appear in the bundle with "Hoy" {the Tribune's {Hi- David Hammond} Spanish-language advertising rag}, I have wound up buying the 16-pack of frozen White Castle Cheeseburgers at Food4Less when it puts it on sale. Has anybody beside me noticed that a sentence on the box mentions White Castle hamburgers are produced with genetically modified ingredients? But, nonetheless, I have boxes of them in the freezer. I eat two to four of them sporadically. I add a Vlasic pickle slice (jar ordered from Jet.com) to them after the microwaving. They taste about the same. I still contend that that slice of cheese the restaurant puts on the slider is not worth 28¢.

Cathy2 wrote:At a White Castle in NJ, I ordered six sliders. The guy asked if I wanted a hamburger or a cheeseburger. Apparently asking for a slider at White Castle is a regional thing.

Regards,Cathy2

Well, "slider" on its own does not convey enough information. A slider can come with cheese or without. I suppose on its own, cheeseless could be assumed, but never assume! At least to me, "slider" means a small hamburger that is at least partially steam-grilled with onions (either over a bed of onions like at White Castle, or with the onion on top of the burger before being flipped, kindasorta like a mini version of an Oklahoma onion burger.) So that narrows it down to places like White Castle, Krystal, and a bunch of ma & pops out in New Jersey. As usual, Kenji has the run-down on Serious Eats.

Binko wrote:At least to me, "slider" means a small hamburger that is at least partially steam-grilled with onions (either over a bed of onions like at White Castle, or with the onion on top of the burger before being flipped, kindasorta like a mini version of an Oklahoma onion burger.) So that narrows it down to places like White Castle, Krystal, and a bunch of ma & pops out in New Jersey. As usual, Kenji has the run-down on Serious Eats.

You're leaving out Ft. Wayne's own Powers Hamburgers, which is a beacon of sliderdom.

ETA: In Kenji's article, He lists Power's Hamburgers as one of the stalwarts, along with The Cozy Inn in Salina KS, so it's not completely White Castle or NJ, for sliders.

stevez wrote:You're leaving out Ft. Wayne's own Powers Hamburgers, which is a beacon of sliderdom.

ETA: In Kenji's article, He lists Power's Hamburgers as one of the stalwarts, along with The Cozy Inn in Salina KS, so it's not completely White Castle or NJ, for sliders.

Sorry. Re-reading my post, I see that I made it sound like those were the only places one can get sliders. That was not my intention. Sliders can be made anywhere, it's just those three sets of locations are the ones that immediately come to mind to me.